Chapter 31

FREYA 

I hadn’t expected the elevator ride to feel like this.

The mirrored walls reflected too many versions of myself—composed but wide-eyed, curious but tense, bracing for something I hadn’t entirely imagined becoming real.

When the doors slid open on the executive floor, the hum of quiet efficiency hit me first—phones clicking, heels tapping on marble, voices low and clipped. The Lefevre Corporation’s upper echelon was a world apart from everything I’d known before. Sleek, modern, immaculate. And now… somehow mine to walk through.

Brandon was at my side, his hand resting briefly on the small of my back—steady, warm. Just that touch reminded me I wasn’t alone in this.

“I figured we’d get you settled before your first orientation meeting this afternoon,” he said.

I nodded, my throat dry. “Okay.”

As we turned a corner, a man in a dark suit and an eager smile approached—older, somewhere in his early fifties, with a trimmed silver beard and the type of presence that suggested boardroom pedigree. I recognized him immediately.

“Ah,” he said, extending a hand to me with polished enthusiasm. “Freya. A pleasure to finally welcome you properly.”

I accepted the handshake, his palm warm, fingers firm. “Mr. Lefevre,” I said, politely. Brandon’s brother. Bryan’s father.

He gave a smooth chuckle. “Call me Alexander, please. We’re all family here.” Then he turned slightly to Brandon, eyes gleaming. “I thought I’d be the one to walk her in, but of course, you beat me to it.”

Brandon didn’t say anything, just gave a closed-lip smile.

Alexander stepped aside and gestured grandly to a nearby door. “We’ve set her up in one of the corner suites—great lighting, quiet, plenty of room to breathe. And of course, I took the liberty of assigning someone from my team as her assistant. Charlotte’s been with the company for twelve years, discreet and well-connected. She’ll help Freya adjust quickly.”

There it was.

The subtext hit me like a soft slap—disguised as generosity but laced with control. I glanced at Brandon, but his expression was unreadable. He was letting me decide.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice calm. “That’s very kind of you. But I’ve already chosen someone.”

Alexander’s smile faltered for the briefest moment.

“I’ve asked Lucy to be my assistant,” I added. “She knows my work style, and I trust her completely.”

“Lucy?” he repeated, eyebrows twitching up.

“My friend,” I said. “And someone with a background in operations and admin. She’s qualified, and I’d like to bring her on.”

A pause. Just long enough to make it clear this hadn’t been the plan.

Alexander’s gaze flicked to Brandon, maybe hoping he’d intervene.

But Brandon just nodded. “It’s her office. Her call.”

Something darkened in Alexander’s eyes, but he recovered quickly, professionalism snapping back into place.

“Of course. Whatever makes her most comfortable,” he said smoothly. “I’ll inform Charlotte. If you ever change your mind—”

“I won’t,” I said gently.

And that was that.

He excused himself a moment later, with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Once he was gone, Brandon exhaled softly beside me.

“You handled that well.”

I looked up at him. “You expected a scene?”

“I expected Alex to test the water. That was his way of seeing if you’d fold.”

“Well,” I said, my voice quiet but firm, “I didn’t.”

Brandon’s smile finally softened, pride glinting in his eyes. “No. You didn’t.”

He opened the office door for me, and I stepped inside.

It was beautiful. Modern with clean lines and warm accents—wooden shelves built into one wall, light pouring in from tall windows. A sleek desk faced the view, a small seating area with two armchairs off to the right. Minimalist art hung across pale cream walls.

But more than all that, it felt… mine.

“This used to be Bryan’s mother’s office,” Brandon said quietly. “Before she stepped down.”

I turned to him, startled.

“She was one of the sharpest minds this company ever had. She’d have liked you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. So instead, I walked to the desk and placed my hand on the smooth surface, grounding myself.

“I know it’s going to take time,” I said. “But I want to be good at this. Not just because I’m your wife. But because people are already looking for reasons to question me.”

“They’ll have to work harder than that,” Brandon said, walking over. “You’re here because you’ve earned it. And because you’re exactly what this company needs.”

There was a soft knock on the door, and then it opened.

Lucy stood there, cheeks slightly pink, eyes wide. “Oh wow. This is…” She stepped inside, turning in a full circle. “Freya, this is incredible.”

I smiled and walked over to hug her. “Welcome to the circus.”

She laughed and squeezed me tightly. “Are you sure about this? You don’t want someone more… corporate?”

“I want someone I trust,” I said simply. “That’s you.”

Brandon stepped forward and shook her hand. “Thank you for agreeing. You’ll get her calendar access and admin credentials this afternoon.”

Lucy nodded, still a little breathless. “Of course. I’ll do my best.”

“You’ll do better than that,” I said.

Brandon gave me a look then—soft, proud, and maybe a little protective.

“I’ll leave you two to settle in,” he said. “Orientation’s at three. Take your time.”

When the door shut behind him, Lucy turned to me, grinning. “Did I just get hired into an empire?”

“You did,” I said, sinking into the leather chair behind my desk. “So we better make it count.”

She walked over to the assistant’s desk already set up near the windows and sat down, spinning the chair lightly. “Rachelle’s going to explode.”

I rolled my eyes. “Let her. I’m not here to compete with her—I’m here to work.”

Lucy grinned. “I'm here to beat the crap out of her again. So… where do we begin?”

I looked around the office—the view, the weight of everything I’d stepped into, the pressure that clung to the air like a second skin.

And still, underneath it all, there was something stronger than fear blooming in my chest.

Conviction.

“We begin,” I said, opening the first file on my desk, “by showing them they didn’t see me coming.”